Low level light assembly

ABSTRACT

A low level light assembly or fixture for projecting light downwardly on a surrounding area while eliminating direct light to persons walking nearby. A louvered light-distributing housing is provided and also a hood for the fixture; the hood and louvered housing being locked together by a special arrangement which includes louver locking means in the form of upper and lower interfitting sleeves, the upper sleeve serving as the hood support. The hood locking means comprises a locking rod and a locking nut. The locking nut is held in a recess in the hood; the locking rod, which has a recessed head located at the base of the fixture, extends through the aforesaid sleeves and threadedly engages with the locking nut at the top of the hood.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,833,804

Vesely Sept. 3, 1974 LOW LEVEL LIGHT ASSEMBLY Primary ExaminerSamuel S. Matthews Inventor: Donald V. Vesely, Lombard, lll.

Gerneral Signal Corporation, New York, NY.

Assignee:

Filed: July 5, 1973 Appl. No.: 376,531

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1965 Wells ..240/3 7/1971 Vesely ..240/3 Assistant ExaminerRussell E. Adams, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmMilton E. Kleinman; John F. Ohlandt [5 7 ABSTRACT A low level light assembly or fixture for projecting light downwardly on a surrounding area while eliminating direct light to persons walking nearby. A louvered light-distributing housing is provided and also a hood for the fixture; the hood and louvered housing being locked together by a special arrangement which includes louver locking means in the form of upper and lower interfitting sleeves, the upper sleeve serving as the hood support. The hood locking means comprises a locking rod and a locking nut. The locking nut is held in a recess in the hood; the locking rod, which has a recessed head located at the base of the fixture, extends through the aforesaid sleeves and threadedly engages with the locking nut at the top of the hood.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures LOW LEVEL LIGHT ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND, OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a light fixture, and more particularly to a low-level light fixture or assembly which operates to distribute the light toward the ground while eliminating glare or direct light to persons approaching the fixture.

The general class of low-level light fixtures with which the present invention is concerned can be appreciated by reference to certain patents. Forexample, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,194,952, 3,457,399, and 3,697,740 can be referred to for general disclosures of fixtures of this class. Also, particular reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,014.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,014, referred to above, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a light fixture intended to be mounted on a pole at a relatively low height, such as approximately 36 inches above grade, and for projecting usable light downwardly on a limited area to provide illumination for pedestrians or vehicles.

The present invention is especially directed to improvements in a low-level light assembly of the character described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,014.

It is particularly an object of the present invention to provide an improved light assembly which, because of the specific locking arrangement for the hood and louvered housing, provides for greater resistance to vandalism in that the technique for disassembly of the fixture is made less apparent to the uninitiated.

Another object is to obviate alignment difficulties that often occur in prior art fixtures with respect to securing the hood once the fixture has been disassembled.

Yet another object is to make easier the task of changing the lens or bulb in the light fixture, given the context of the use of a dome lens within the fixture.

The above and other objects are fulfilled and implemented by a broad feature of the present invention which resides in a unique locking arrangement for the louvered housing and hood of the light assembly. Such arrangement includes a louver locking means comprising upper and lower interfitting sleeves, the upper sleeve serving as a support for the hood; such arrangement also includes a hood locking means comprising a locking rod and locking nut and in which the locking rod extends, through the aforenoted sleeves, from the bottom of the louvered housing to the hood at which point it engages with the locking nut disposed within a recess in the hood. As a result of this arrangement, the centers of the interfitting sleeves always remain exactly aligned and each of the locking rods which serves to hold down the hood is thereby precisely retained within the respective sleeves and, consequently, aligned with the locking nuts so that the hood is very easily secured upon reassembly of the fixture.

A more specific feature of the present invention resides in the precise interrelationship between the aforenoted upper and lower interfitting sleeves; that is to say, the lower sleeve is threaded at both ends, the lower end thereof being engaged with mating threads provided in the base of the fixture while the upper end thereof is engaged by threads at the lower end of the upper, or second, sleeve which functions as a support for the hood.

In the case as noted previously, i.e., where a dome lens is employed to surround the lamp, a lens retainer device is clamped down by the threaded engagement of the upper sleeve with the lower sleeve. This results from the fact that the upper sleeve has a larger outside diameter and is provided with internal threading. This arrangement permits retention of the clamping of the dome lens even when the hood has been removed from the fixture. In other words, removal of the locking rod which serves to hold the hood onto the fixture does not mean that the lens retaining device will thereby become loose. Only when the upper sleeve, which supports the hood, has been loosened will it be possible to loosen the lens retainer for the purpose of removing the lens and changing the lamp.

Otherobjects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING .lighting, will generally be mounted above the ground at a level of approximately 36 inches. Mounting of the fixture is accomplished by securing the base 16 of the fixture 10 to the pole 12 by means of the mounting screws 18. A gasket20 is provided for sealing of the base 16 against the pole and there is preferably provided a bottom plastic piece 22 mounted to a gasket in the base for permitting the emission of light from the bottom of the fixture. Plastic 22 is held in place by three retaining straps 22B and flat head machine screws 22C.

Also provided at the bottom of the base 16 is a filter device 23 which is retained in a gasket 23A by a retaining plate 233 within an aperture in the base 16. Accordingly, the interior of the base-lens assembly is sealed except for the passageway provided through the filter 23. This filter operates topurify air entering the lamp enclosure. Consequently, the substantial reduction in the effects of solid and gaseous impurities that would ordinarily enter the lamp enclosure ensures a high degree of illumination for extremely long time periods.

The fixture 10 also includes alamp socket .24, suitably affixed to the base 16, in which there is held a lamp 26. Surrounding the lamp is a dome lens 28 which is open .at its lower endand received thereby in an annular groove 30 in the base 16. A gasket 32 is held within the groove 30for sealing purposes, the lower end of lens28 directly engaging the gasket. The light fixture 10 also includes a light-distributing louvered housing/34, comprising a plurality of louver members 36, and a hood 38. The hood is illustrated as being of conical shape although square or dome-shaped hoods can likewise be utilized. A grill 39 is contained within hood 38 above the housing '34.

The base 16 and the louver members 36 are prefera bly cast of aluminum while the hood 38 may be suitably fabricated of sheet steel or plastic. The lens 28 may be constituted of a moulded or otherwise formed heatresisting glass.

Each of the louver members 36 is substantially identical in shape and includes a plurality of axially directed bosses 36A, spaced l20from one another. Each boss 36A is provided with a bore 36B. The alignment of the bores 36B of adjacent louver members defines a continuous bore 40 for purposes to be elaborated on. Each of the louver members includes a generally radially extending and downwardly directed portion 363, such portion being concavo-convex in shape with respect to an observer at the bottom of the fixture.

It will be appreciated that the louver members 36 are stacked or nested with respect to one another by reason of the provision of a suitable recess 36C defined at the upper surface of each of the bosses 36A. The bosses of the lowermost louver member 36 fit within recesses 42 formed in the integral bosses 16A which extend radially outwardly from the frusto-conical wall 16B of the base 16.

The unique locking arrangement, which constitutes a primary feature of the present invention, will be seen to comprise a louver locking means 44 and. a hood locking means 46. The two means 44 and 46 are interrelated in a manner to be described. The particular combination of these means makes the lamp fixture more resistant to vandalism and advantageously avoids alignment difficulties normally encountered in aligning the hood and louver members when reassembling the fixture. At the same time, however, this combination permits independent locking or securing of the louver members and lens retainer vis a vis the locking or securing of the hood member.

The louver locking means 44 includes in toto three sets of upper and lower interfitting sleeves 48 and S0. The sets of sleeves are evenly spaced about the fixture, i.e., 120apart. It will be seen that the lower sleeve 50 of each set is threaded at both ends and that, at its upper end, it is surrounded by and threadedly engageable with theupper sleeve 48. At its lower end, the sleeve 50 is threadedly engageable as respective ones of the appropriate threaded opening 16C in the base It will be noted that upper sleeves 48 serve to lock or hold the louver members 36 in stacked relationship when upper sleeves 48 are tightened down in threaded engagement with lower sleeves 50. The former also functions to support the hood 38 in proper spaced relationship with respect to the louver members 36. The latter extend through the bore 40 and their upper ends are free to engage upper sleeves 48.

The hood locking means consists of a locking rod which is actually a long bolt 52 having a recessed Allen head at its lower end 52A as seen in FIG. I. The upper end of each rod or bolt 52 engages with a locking nut 54 disposed in a recess 56 defined by an integral boss in the hood 38. The head of each bolt 52 is adapted to fit within opening 16C, the shank thereof extending through the sleeves 50 and 48, thereby engaging with the locking nut 54.

A plurality of lens retainers 58 are spaced around the periphery of the upper curved surface of the dome lens 28, such retainers being adapted to press against the upper curved surface of the lens. Each of the lens retainers is provided with an opening 58A so that the retainer can be fitted over the sleeve 50. It will be apparent from the figures that tightening down of the upper sleeve 48 will act to clamp the lens retainer within the recess 36C in the uppermost louver member.

It will be understood that when it becomes necessary to replace the lamp 26 in the fixture 10, the three locking rods or bolts 52 are removed by disengaging them from the locking nuts 54. The hood 38 is removed from the fixture and three sleeves 48 are then loosened. This permits turning of the lens retainers 58 to one side, that is, away from contact with the upper surface of the dome lens 28. As a result, the lens can be removed and the lamp 26 can be replaced.

it should be especially noted that the loosening of these sleeves 48 creates no subsequent possibility of inaccuracy for the hood locking means 46 in alignment, i.e., when it is desired to return the hood to the position for locking. Accordingly, when the hood is placed back into position all of the bolts 52 will line up precisely with their lock nuts 54. Therefore, great efficiency in reassembling the fixture is achieved.

What is claimed is:

1. In a low-level light assembly or fixture which includes a base member, a plurality of stacked louvered members and a hood, the improvement which comprises a louver locking means, that means including upper and lower interfitting sleeves, the upper sleeve serving as a support for the hood; said lower sleeve fitting within a continuous bore defined by said plurality of louver members.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said upper and lower sleeves are threadedly engageable.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, further comprising a dome lens, a lens retainer which is clamped by the threaded engagement of said sleeves independently of the securing of said hood.

4. In a low-level light assembly or fixture which includes a base member, a plurality of stacked louvered members and a hood, the improvement which comprises a louver locking means, said means including upper and lower interfitting sleeves, the upper sleeve serving as a support for the hood; further comprising a hood locking means, said means including a locking rod extending from an opening in said base member to the upper surface of said hood; and a locking nut provided at said upper surface for engagement with said rod.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, in which said locking rod extends through both said upper and lower interfitting sleeves. 

1. In a low-level light assembly or fixture which includes a base member, a plurality of stacked louvered members and a hood, the improvement which comprises a louver locking means, that means including upper and lower interfitting sleeves, the upper sleeve serving as a support for the hood; said lower sleeve fitting within a continuous bore defined by said plurality of louver members.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1, in which said upper and lower sleeves are threadedly engageable.
 3. A device as defined in claim 2, further comprising a dome lens, a lens retainer which is clamped by the threaded engagement of said sleeves independently of the securing of said hood.
 4. In a low-level light assembly or fixture which includes a base member, a plurality of stacked louvered members and a hood, the improvement which comprises a louver locking means, said means including upper and lower interfitting sleeves, the upper sleeve serving as a support for the hood; further comprising a hood locking means, said means including a locking rod extending from an opening in said base member to the upper surface of said hood; and a locking nut provided at said upper surface for engagement with said rod.
 5. A device as defined in claim 4, in which said locking rod extends through both said upper and lower interfitting sleeves. 